Viet Nam: Floods and Landslides - Jun 2017

Alert

Glide: FF-2017-000101-VNM

Overview

Floods in the Mekong Delta are expected to occur earlier this year due to higher than average rainfall, according to Viet Nam's National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting. This year’s flood peak is expected to occur in the first half of October, at levels 2 and 3 (Tiền River in Tân Châu station, from 4.0 to 4.5m; and Hậu River at Châu Đốc station from 3.5 – 4.0m). (VNS, 12 Jun 2017)

Vietnam Red Cross Headquarters has decided to provide initial support for mountainous provinces in the Northern of Vietnam, including Ha Giang, Hoa Binh, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Son La, Thai Nguyen, Dien Bien, in order to help affected families to overcome the consequences of land erosion and flash floods, as the result of the torrential and prolonged rains recently. 17 families losing their family member or having houses collapsed or swept away will receive VND 3 million each case. 28 temporary shelters have also been erected for affected communities to use before their houses are repaired or rebuilt. (Vietnam Red Cross Society, 12 Jul 2017)

In August, heavy rain triggered flash floods and landslides in four northwestern Vietnamese provinces. As of 7 August, the death toll had reached 26 people. (Reuters, 7 Aug 2017)

As of 10 August, the latest reports indicated the following casualties: 27 deaths, 14 people missing, and 231 houses washed away or collapsed. A further 425 houses were damaged and about 340 hectares of agricultural land were damaged by landslides. (ASEAN, 10 Aug 2017)

The ”One ASEAN, One Response” vision, which has been shared amongst the ASEAN Community since 2015, is a comprehensive effort coordinated by the AHA Centre to help ASEAN Member States (AMS) respond to disasters as one and to establish mechanisms that reduce disaster-related losses.

Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Health (MoH) has requested health departments in the northern mountainous provinces to carry out works related to health and safety for patients in flood-prone areas.

Owing to heavy rainfall, and the susceptibility of northern provinces to landslides and flash floods, the ministry has asked local health departments to be prepared to respond to the situation.

In Quảng Ninh Province’s Hạ Long City, rains flooded main streets and caused the death of a 12-year-old school girl. The victim was among three school girls of Lý Tự Trọng Junior Highschool who were swept away by floods on their way home. Two others were rescued.

Rains also submerged hundreds of households in mountainous district of Ba Chẽ’s Lương Mông, Minh Cầm and Đạp Thanh communes.

Highlights
- This will be the AHA Centre final situation update regarding the landslide and flash flood situation in Northern Viet Nam.
- Relief and search and rescue operations in the Northern provinces of Viet Nam following landslides and flash floods are still ongoing. Affected provinces are the Son La province, the Yen Bai province, the Dien Bien province, and the Lai Chau province.

Heeding flood warnings in Yen Bai province, Giang A Hu quickly moved his wife and two children to higher ground. He then returned home to rescue the family’s greatest asset, their 15 pigs. But just as he was opening the cage, a fierce flash flood swept through his village, carrying away Hu, his home and his livestock.

The Tropical Storm (TS) "Sonca" has lashed and left a trail of destruction in the Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien Hue Provinces. According to the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, the storm has caused 6 deaths in Ha Tinh and Quang Tri. A total of 1,504 houses were reportedly damaged in Quang Tri (1,399) and Ha Tinh (105). The storm has also damaged 5,777 ha of paddy field and 750 ha of crops in the affected provinces.

Sonca-17 is a tropical storm that affected the north-central coast of Vietnam. This storm originated on 17 July 2017 in the South China Sea (northwest Pacific) at a speed of about 28 km/h. On 25 July 2017, tropical storm Sonca-17 made landfall on the Quang Tri Province, Vietnam and it is expected to move a few hours later towards the Khammouan Province, Lao PDR with a maximum sustainable wind speed of 55 km/h. The tropical storm is soon expected to dissipate on land.

Tropical Cyclone SONCA is moving west-northwest over the South China Sea, toward central-northern Vietnam, as a Tropical Storm. It may pass south of Hainan island on 24 July morning (UTC) as a Tropical Storm.

Heavy rain may affect several areas of southern China, northern and central Vietnam.

In addition, heavy rain could still affect southern China over the next 24 hours, due to Tropical Cyclone ROKE.